For those of you who haven't yet grown your own Potatoes, make this the year. What's true of any veggie in the garden—that store-bought just doesn't compare—is true in spades for Potatoes. The tenderness of the skin and pure aroma and flavor of freshly dug spuds are unlike anything you have experienced before. The organically grown tubers in our sampler will provide a mouthwatering range of tastes and textures—we include 5 tubers each of salad maker 'Dark Red Norland,' baker 'Russet Burbank,' and masher 'Yukon Gold.' 15 tubers total. Typical yields are 6–10 lb per 10 tubers.

Midseason 'Dark Red Norland' has white flesh and dark skin that almost looks burgundy (but fades to pink during storage). Very pretty in Potato salad.

Superbly creamy and yellow-fleshed, 'Yukon Gold' is an early season Potato and a good keeper. Exquisite mashed, steamed, or in salads.

Developed by the great plant breeder Luther Burbank, 'Russet Burbank' has been around for more than a century. The skin is deep tan to brown and covered with a netting of sorts (the russet). The fine-flavored, yellow-white flesh holds up well both baked and fried.

A street address is required for delivery. We cannot ship to post office box.

Every state has agricultural regulations that restrict the shipment of certain plants. We're sorry, but we cannot ship this item to the following states: MAINE, MONTANA, NEBRASKA.

HOW PLANTS ARE SHIPPED

The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.

WHEN WE SHIP

We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the Shipping Details box for each item. Please refer to the Shipping Details box to determine the earliest shipping time. Unless you specify otherwise, fertilizers, tools, and other non-plant items are shipped with your plants or bulbs. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at expected time of delivery.

OUR GUARANTEE

We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.

Great for first timers!

minitubers are amazing!

Max
from Ithaca, NY

These minitubers are just a super way to grow potatoes. Exceptionally fine varieties, healthy plants, amazingly easy and productive. Waxy and specialty types that it's hard to get anywhere else. The variety is especially fun for kids, who love seeing all the different kinds at harvest time. Make sure you plant them right away, though -- they'll sprout right in the box, and they do *lots* better when they sprout in the ground!

IF YOU MUST DELAY PLANTING: If you need to store your potato minitubers before planting them, keep the bag in a cool (40-50°F), well-lit place. The eyes may begin to form chubby little sprouts, but this just indicates that they are ready to grow. Do not remove these sprouts. If the potatoes are stored in a warm, dark place, however, they will make long pale shoots, which will weaken the plants.

PLANTING AND CARING FOR YOUR POTATO CROP

1. In spring, when the soil has dried enough to be workable (about 2-3 weeks before the local frost-free date), prepare a deeply worked bed in a sunny spot that is as free of weeds and soil clumps as possible. Potatoes prefer soil with a pH of about 6. Don't plant potatoes where you grew potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant the previous year. If the ground is fertile, no additional fertilizer is necessary. Too much nitrogen will cause lush top growth at the expense of tubers. Do not use fresh manure as it can cause potato scab (see "Next Year's Crop" below); finished compost or aged manure is fine. Work the compost or aged manure into the ground well ahead of planting, or top dress afterwards. A cover crop plowed under before the season begins is an ideal way to increase fertility.

2. Dig a shallow trench 3-4in deep and 3in wide at the bottom. The edge of a hoe is good for this job. Rows should be 24-36in apart.

3. Plant the minitubers about 12in apart in the row. (If the tubers are big, it's fine to cut them in half. Just be sure each piece has 2 or 3 eyes, and dip the cut face of each half in agricultural lime after you've cut them.) After planting, use a rake to cover the minitubers with 1-2in of soil.

4. When plants are 6-8in tall, fill in the rest of the trench from both sides by gently pulling the soil up with a rake or hoe, leaving about 4in of the leafy plant exposed. Be careful not to damage the roots.

5. Continue to hill up soil or mulch heavily as plants grow. This increases yields by providing more room beneath the soil surface for potatoes to form.

6. Watch for insects, and use appropriate controls if they become a problem. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) can be helpful in dealing with potato beetle larvae. Pyola® Insect Spray or Neem products are effective in controling adult potato beetles.

7. Potatoes require at least 1in of rainfall per week while actively growing. Water your plants thoroughly if there is no rainfall. To determine whether they need water, check the plants in the morning when it is still cool. If the growing tips are wilting, water deeply.

HARVESTING NEW POTATOES: After 60 days or so, plants will flower and little tubers will begin to form on underground stems called stolons. Some varieties either bloom very late or not at all, so check for new potatoes after 65-75 days on plants that don't bloom. Gently probe around the base of the plant for developing tubers on the ends of stolons (some stolons are as long as 18in). Dig up only enough baby-sized potatoes for one or two days' use, as they are perishable. While it's a treat to harvest some of your crop as new potatoes, leave most of the crop to mature for later harvest and storage.

HARVESTING YOUR MAIN CROP: For your main potato crop, allow growth until vines naturally wither or until tubers have reached the desired size. Frost will encourage maturing. If tubers are fully formed and continue to produce vigorous top growth, break the tops off at ground level to stop growth. Allow the tubers to remain in the soil at least two weeks after tops have died back or have been broken off. Don't water plants during this period. This provides time for skins to "set," which increases storage life. Dig potatoes carefully with a fork so as not to bruise or damage skins. Dig deeply and at a distance of up to 18in from the plant to locate all tubers. Injured tubers should be cooked and enjoyed right away. Potatoes will turn green and taste bitter if stored in the presence of light. For this reason, we recommend storing them in brown paper bags at low temperatures; 35-40 degrees F is optimal. Cool temperatures retard sprout development and increase storage life. Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator; the atmosphere is too dry for them to keep well.

NEXT YEAR'S CROP: Scab is a common disease in potatoes. It makes them unattractive and reduces storage life. Planting clean seed, such as ours, in loose, well-drained soil reduces the risk of scab. Moist soil is required during the development of tubers, but the soil should not be soggy. Growing potatoes in soil with a pH above 6.5 can increase scab problems. Take care to harvest your entire potato crop; don't leave any tubers in the soil. Weed out any volunteers as they emerge to eliminate potential sources of scab and virus for future potato crops -- do not leave volunteer sprouting potatoes in the ground. Also, rotate the location of your potato bed so you do not grow potatoes in the same spot again until at least 4 years later.

White Flower Farm is a family-owned mail-order nursery located in northwestern Connecticut. Since 1950 we have been providing a wide range of perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs, vines, amaryllis, gardening tools & supplies, and gifts for gardeners. We also offer gardening advice and how-to information to gardeners throughout the United States. We invite you to browse our online catalogs, and to join our email list for special offers and useful gardening tips. White Flower Farm&REG; is a registered trademark of White Flower Farm, Inc. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.